Wish of the Heart
by Pricat
Summary: Arctus is miserable and it's nearly Christmas. He wants to be with his parents but they have left him with Shrek but he'll learn what true family means.
1. Christmas Blues

Wish of the Heart

_A/N Hey guys. I know I've been writing a few Christmas Shrek fics but this one is because I'm happy because the musical is on Broadway now buut it involves Arctus, Snowgre's son. Snowgre and Snowflake left him with Shrek when he was very little. _

It was December in Duloc and in a certain swamp merriment was in the air but nobody was happy.

Arctus was miserable and depressed. He didn't know where his parents were. He'd been living with Shrek and the others since as long as he could remember.

He had snow like fur, gentle eyes which were sad most of the time, slender and wore rock clothes. He was Snowgre's son.

He was only fourteen years old and was passionate about performing.

Fiona saw him sigh as he helped her bake cookies.

"Arctus honey what's wrong?

It's like you had some bad eggnog.

It's nearly Christmas, you should be happy. The whole family's coming, even Artie." she told him.

Arctus's angst filled eyes softened hearing that.

He loved Christmas but being around the whole family made him sad because he missed his parents.

"I feel.... happy about Christmas. It's just.... my parents, they've never shown up and I was hoping maybe this year would be different." he answered. Fiona looked scared hearing that.

"Arctus honey you know we're your family too, right?" she replied gently.

He nodded sadly.

"Yeah but we don't look the same. I feel like I don't fit in around here." he told her.

She was about to answer but heard Shrek calling her and heard the triplets laughing.

Arctus walked out of there and into his room and closed the door but locked it.

He then put his head phones on and listened to music for a while.

It helped him imagine what his parents were doing now.

"I wish.... I wish..... you guys would be with me this Christmas so we can be family again.

I only saw you when I was little." he whispered looking at a photo in the locket he wore around his neck.

Fiona saw the triplets pointing at Daddy as she came outside.

"Mommy look!

Daddy's upside down!" they told her.

She then helped her husband down from the roof.

Inside he saw worry on her face.

"What's wrong?" he asked her.

"It's Artcus. He hopes that his parents will come back for Christmas and want to be with him again." she answered.

Shrek sighed as he went to see Arctus.......


	2. Not This Year

Wish of the Heart

Snowgre was worried as his eyes opened. He and Snowflake were in a cage. They saw somebody approach that made him angry. It was Charming and his teen son Arduro.

Charming had used magic to create his son.

Charming had taken them to scare Shrek but hurt Arctus emotionally.

Snowgre had been with his band Artic Fury for a reunion tour but he secretly missed Arctus.

"Let us go Arduro!

We have nothing to do with your father or his plans to hurt my cousin." Snowgre begged.

He was tired and injured from being beaten by guards for trying to escape.

"I'm sorry but you should've thought about that before making me look like a loser in school." he cackled leaving......

Arctus then heard somebody knock on his bedroom door.

"Come in!" he said taking his head phones off.

He saw Shrek come in.

"What's going on?" the teen asked him.

"Fiona and I are.... worried for you. We know how every year you hope for your parents to come but I think they might not come back.

Maybe they wanted to leave you with us because they knew you'd have a better life.

I know how it feels to be alone without those you care about." he told him.

Anger blazed in Arctus's eyes at that. It scared the elder ogre.

"Maybe I should leave you alone for a while." he said leaving.

Fiona was waiting in bed for Shrek to join her. She was in a night gown sighing softly. She understood that Arctus wanted to be with his parents badly like her when she was in the tower.

"How did it... go?" she asked him.

"Not very well. He got very mad when I told him that there was a chance that his parents might not return.

We should let him cool off." he answered.

Fiona saw sadness in her husband's brown eyes. He was thinking about when he was Arctus's age, alone in the forest, fending for himself, keeping himself safe from hunters.

"Honey you okay?" Fiona asked breaking his train of thought.

"Yeah I'm fine." Shrek told her.

But Arctus couldn't sleep. He'd been crying into his pillow a while after Shrek had talked to him.

"_I don't understand!_

_Why.... would my Mom and Dad leave me here without being with me? Maybe they did but something happened to them..... I know it._

_For some reason it feels true!"_ he thought sadly.

But then in the middle of the night the door knocked.

Shrek yawned getting out of bed as he went to see who it was.

When he opened the door, he found somebody on the doorstep......

"A-Artie?" he said afraid....


	3. Somebody like Me

Wish of the Heart

Fiona wondered what was going on as Shrek brought Artie in from the cold. She felt his forehead. It was very hot.

He was ill with the flu.

Arctus was curious but watched them secretly.

"_Who is that and why do they care about him so much?_

_I wonder who he is._

_He must be very important, maybe a ruler or something._

_There's always a way to find out." _the ogre teen mused as he kept watching.

Fiona then wrapped blankets around Artie. She heard him coughing up a storm.

"Artie it's going to be okay.

Why did my mother let you come all the way out here by yourself like this?" she said softly.

His eyes opened slowly but his vision was a little blurry because he was ill.

"I.... was.... depressed...." he replied coughing.

"What do you mean Artie?" Shrek asked as he handed him a tisue.

"This.... time of year..... makes me..... sad.

I.... have.... no..... family to be.... with." he answered sneezing.

Arctus gasped hearing that.

This boy was like him, alone, miserable at this time of year. He was very curious indeed.

"Arctus?

How long have you been hiding there?" Shrek said seeing the teen come out of his hiding place.

"Yeah it's me.

How did you know?" he asked.

"I heard you breathing. My ears pick up a lot.

I see you've noticed Artie. He's a friend of the family and royalty but he's like you." Shrek replied.

"How is he like me?

I don't understand." Arctus said.

Shrek laughed at his nephew's curiousity.

"Artie has been alone since he was a teenager and was sent to Worchester by his father. He never returned, visited or wrote him letters. Artie was like you, hoping he'd return but he soon realised he wouldn't.

But now he's important and more confident than before but still alone.

He doesn't know who he can trust to be his friends.

Goodnight Arctus." Shrek explained walking out of the room.

Arctus looked at Artie sleeping peacefully after Shrek had given him some home made remedies to keep the flu at bay. He felt tired and left the room.

He lay in bed thinking about what his uncle told him.

"_So Artie is like me. Maybe he could be my..... friend._

_I'd like to have somebody who understands me for me._

_But it'll never happen._

_Maybe I'm meant to be alone."_ he thought as a sad look was on his face as he looked at the locket. He opened it and looked at the photo inside. It was of him as a little kid in his mother's arms while Snowgre was beside them holding a guitar.

"When will we be a family again? In my dreams you always come back on Christmas Eve like some sort of miracle which I believe in. Besides this is the time when miracles happen." he whispered falling asleep.

By the time he woke up, it was nine in the morning. Fiona was in the kitchen making breakfast but the triplets were at school.

"Good morning Arctus.

Did you sleep well?" she asked hearing Shrek yell for help.

He was having trouble getting the Christmas tree into the house.

"Honey we don't need a big one." she said karate chopping it into a medium sized tree. She smiled as it fit in the living room.

"Thanks honey. After the kids come home from school, we'll decorate it." Shrek replied.

"Good idea honey." she told him going back to the kitchen.

Snowgre smiled escaping from Charming's lair. He had many wounds and injuries from the guards and the shackles around his wrists while in the dungeon. He hoped Arctus hadn't given up hope.

His clothes were also ripped.

Arctus watched as Shrek, Fiona and the triplets were decorating the tree. It made him remember whn he and his parents used to do the same. Tears welled in his eyes.

"Arctus!" Shrek said seeing him go into his room.

"Leave him for a while. I had a feeling this would upset him.

Maybe Artie can help." Fiona told him.

"I hope so..." Shrek told her, his eyes on Arctus's bedroom door.


	4. A New Hope

Wish of the Heart

_A/N Thanks to those who reviewewed. Here's chapter four._

Arctus was lying on his bed with a strange feeling inside of him. He had a feeling it was to do with his parents.

He then closed his eyes....

_It was Christmas Eve and he was in his room. It was midnight and he couldn't sleep. He had a feeling something would happen._

_He then went into the living room and heard breathing._

_He saw somebody asleep on the couch. It was a strange ogre but it looked like an older version of him._

_He realised who it was._

_"Dad you finally came!_

_I knew it." he whispered returning to his room...._

He woke up confused but smiled as he had a feeling it would come true. He knew because it felt so real for a dream.

He decided not to tell anyone about it because they wouldn't understand.

Artie was talking to Shrek in the living room. Arctus wondered what they were talking about. Artie understood what his ogre friend meant when he told him about Arctus. He knew how it felt to be alone.

"Maybe.... I.... should talk..... to him." he said coughing slightly. He still had the flu and it drained his energy. Shrek then went into Arctus's room to get him but saw he was gone.

"_This isn't good!_

_Please don't tell me..... he's gone off to find Snowgre."_ he thought as he ran out of the swamp house.

Arctus was in the forest which was covered in thick snow and ice because it was Winter.

"Dad it's me Arctus!

Where're you?" he yelled hoping his father could hear him but then he was suddenly hanging upside down from a tree in a hunter's snare. He heard hunters laugh surrounding him.

"Hey leave him alone!" Shrek roared as he showed up.

The hunters ran off frightened. Arctus saw a worried expression on his face as he got him down. He had a feeling he knew what Arctus was doing.

"What were you thinking? Those hunters could've hurt you!

I know how badly you want to be with them but there's something I need to tell you. It's about your father.

You may find it hard to understand." he told him.

"What about my father?

What do you have to tell me?" Arctus asked him.

Shrek sighed. He knew this would hurt but he had to tell him sooner or later.

"Your father left you with me because he wanted to be a rock star. He knew that the life of a rock star was no place for a child so he decided to leave you with us.

He hated it but knew you'd grow up happy. Your mother wanted you to be with them.

What id you see last night?" he explained to him.

"Sorry but I don't really feel like I can trust you." Arctus told him coldly leaving but he thought he heard something.

Charming growled in anger as he realised Snowgre was gone but smiled seeing Snowflake upset. He knew how to get Snowgre back here along with Shrek. He then smiled as he saw her shiver.

Fiona saw Shrek return to the swamp without Arctus and was worried. He sighed as Artie walked in wrapped in blankets.

He looked a little better.

"Is.... Arctus....okay?" he asked him.

"Sort of." he answered.

Snowgre was nervous as he reached the swamp. He was exhausted from running and his wounds and injuries.

He collapsed on the doorstep.

Fiona gasped at this and got her husband.

Shrek sighed as he brought his cousin into the house. He was angry but scared for him because of his wounds.

"_What happened to him all this time?_

_Something's not right here._

_I can't wait to see Arctus when he finds out."_ he thought as he put him in clean clothes.

Arctus was in the swamphouse when he saw Shrek approach him.

"Arctus we need to talk." he said as he went into the living room.

Artie approached him.

"Umm.... hey.... Arctus." he said softly.

"Artie right?" he replied.

The young King nodded.

"You.... should.... know..... that I'll..... be your friend.

We are.... the.... same." he told him.

Arctus nodded.

"I'll take that onboard." he told him going into the living room.....


	5. Reunited

Wish of the Heart

Arctus gasped seeing his father lying on the couch. He had many wounds and bruises. Tears welled in his eyes. He wondered where he'd been the last fourteen years of his life.

"Your uncle found him lying outside and brought him inside. He looks like he's been through a lot.

Maybe he can tell us when he wakes up." Fiona told the teen.

Arctus nodded slowly, not understanding.

"_Maybe he was trying to find me because he missed me._

_Uncle Shrek was wrong._

_Maybe once we find Mom, we can be a family again." _he mused as he ate cokies.

Artie saw him sitting outside in the snow.

He thought he looked lonely so decided to join him after wrapping up warm.

Arctus was stunned to see him beside him.

"So it looks like your Dad showed up after all. You must be happy but excited." he began.

"Y-Yeah I am, sort of..." Arctus replied.

He sounded nervous to Artie.

"It's just...." Arctus said.

"Just what Arctus?

We are friends." Artie asked him.

"I'm just afraid that he might not want to be family again. What if he wakes up and I find out..... that he won't take me with him or want to find Mom." Arctus told him breaking down.

Shrek heard that and understood.

For most of his life, this was the day Arctus had been waiting for when his father showed up.

He knew that the kid wanted to be with his parents again too.

"_When you wake Snowg, you better not hurt him. He's been through more hurt than you could ever know._

_He just wants to be with you and Snowflake but if all you care about is fame, then he'll be crushed and that's something I can't watch." _he thought going back inside.

Snowflake was miserable imprisoned in Charming's lair. She'd tried to escape but it made things worse for her.

Charming cackled at this.

He knew it wouldn't be long now.....

It was early morning as Fiona woke Arctus up.

"What's going on?" he asked her confused.

"Your father, he's awake.

He's been asking for you." she told him.

Arctus got up at once. His heart pumped with fear at meeting his father again. It had been fourteen years since they'd been together. He had so much in his mind he wanted to ask him but was afraid to. He hoped he could do this. He took a breath before going into the living room. Sweat was on his face.

"Arctus.... you're still alive.

You look handsome. I'm.... not surprised the girls at your school aren't throwing themselves at you already." Snowgre told his son. He'd been surprised by how Arctus had grown since he'd left him as a child.

"T-There's something I've been wanting to ask you but afraid to know. Why did you leave me here with my uncle?

Did you and Mom want me around?" Arctus said to him. Snowgre gasped at that.

He wasn't ready to talk about that yet. He then saw Shrek come into the room.

"Let's give him some room, okay? Besides I need to talk to him alone." he said. The ogre teen nodded as he left the room silently.

Snowgre gulped because he knew what his cousin wanted to talk about......


	6. Need to Know

Wish of the Heart

"What do you want by coming here Snowg? I know you're in something when you show up around here.

Arctus wants to know about where you've been the last fourteen years of his life.

He needs to know.

He always yearns for you and Snowflake to come back every year but you never showed.

I can't wait to hear what you have to say." Shrek told his artic cousin.

He saw something in those emerald eyes, tears.

"Are you so shocked to see me cry? We're all human, you know it!

I wanted to take him with us but..... the life of a rock star has no time to be a father. I couldn't let Arctus feel like that.

That's why I left him here with you.

But my heart is hurting more than you'll ever know because of my choice.

I chose you to bring him up because.... because you're the better one than me.

I don't know how to be a father, not back then and it scares me now.

Happy?" Snowgre explained wiping away tears.

Shrek was at a loss hearing that. He'd never known Snowgre had felt like that while Arctus was growing up.

"Snowg.... I-I'm sorry I snapped like that. It's just I was being protective of Arctus the way I am with mine." he replied softly.

"Yeah.... I know." Snowgre said as he fell asleep....

Arctus was Christmas shopping with Artie in Far, Far Away but seeing families together made him a little sad. True he had his father back but he felt like he was hiding something from him. Artie understood how he felt.

"Maybe it's something he doesn't like talking about.

But I bet he'll tell after Shrek talks to him.

I know it." the young king replied as he saw Arctus walking with packages.

"Yeah it's possible but I wonder where my mother is." Arctus said as they went to get coffee.

Fiona was in the kitchen with the princesses but more importantly Snow. They were making things for the swamp for Christmas.

"Who's the guy in the living room? We're curious." Snow asked her.

"It's Arctus's father Snowgre but he's also Shrek's cousin.

We don't know how he got those wounds all over his body." Fiona explained as she brought another batch of cookies out of the oven.

"Mmm.... those smell good!" Doris said.

Fiona laughed at that. "They're nearly ready.

Besides the triplets will probably eat the rest." she said to them.

The triplets were with the Dronkeys.

Snowgre tossed and turned in his sleep even though it hurt him to. He was having a vision....

_He was back in the forest when he heard a voice call to him._

_"Snowg please help me!" it said as it took him further until he reached Charming's lair._

_He saw all the way into the dungeon where Snowflake was tired, weak and hurt._

_"H-How did this happen?" he asked her but before she could answer, he heard somebody laugh evilly as he approached the dungeon. It was Charming._

_"Why hurt her?_

_She and I aren't your enemies." Snowgre said angrily but Arduro chuckled as he joined his father._

_"We want your pathetic cousin._

_Only then can your precious wife be released." he cackled as everything went black....._

He then woke up nervous screaming. Fiona saw sweat run down his face at that as she knelt beside him. She wondered what was wrong. Shrek then came in.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"I-I had a vision about Snowflake, my wife. Charming's been keeping her in the dungeon, hurting her. He said he wouldn't release her until he had you. I don't understand.

Why does he want you?" he answered him.

Shrek was nervous at that.

"I'll tell you.

He wanted to be King of Far, Far Away but the others and I stopped him. But he also tried to take Fiona with the help of his mother the Fairy Godmother.

He hates me.

I'm sorry I got you into so much trouble. I promise we'll get Snowflake back." he explained to him.

Snowgre couldn't believe what he was hearing.

Arctus was curious as he entered the living room.

Snowgre smiled sadly at him.

"There's something I need to tell you." he began.

"You do?

Is it about us?" he asked.

Snowgre sighed before speaking. He hoped Arctus would understand. He thought the kid would resent him for being away so long but he wasn't.

"Yes.

Your mother and I did want you. It's just the life of a rock star was no place for raising a child so we left you with Shrek because I knew they'd raise you right and give you love, letting you feel part of a family. We wanted to see you but that's when..... Charming captured us. I never gave in to him but your mother..... she needs my help.

I managed to escape but Charming's not happy. That's why he's hurting your mother as revenge.

We loved you Arctus, we always will." Snowgre explained to him. Arctus was silent looking at him.

"I know Dad.

Let's go save Mom and kick Charming's butt!" the teen replied but Shrek stopped him.

"Woah there Arctus.

Charming's ruthless and cruel. If you go in there alone, he won't hold back and it would hurt your father to see you hurt or worse trying to save those you care about.

It's too dangerous." he told him.

Arctus looked sad at his uncle's words.

The others saw him leave.....


	7. Saving Me

Wish of the Heart

Arctus was looking at the stars in the night sky outside. He felt angry about not being able to help his mother. He opened his locket and looked at the photograph. He wanted to do it now.

"You okay?" he heard somebody say and turned around.

Artie was beside him.

"What're you doing out here?

Shouldn't you be inside with the others?" Arctus said to him.

He laughed at that.

"That's what I should be asking you. Fiona was worried. She thought you'd gone to rescue your mother." he replied.

"Maybe I should.

Then I can show the others." he told him.

"Arctus.... I don't think it's a great idea.

Shrek's right about Charming being ruthless.

He nearly beheaded me if Shrek hadn't lied to save me.

He cares about you like I... I do.

We would hate it if you got hurt or killed by Charming." Artie said to him.

The ogre teen watched as he left.

Arctus then watched as everybody slept but heard somebody cackle as he appeared from the shadows.

It was Charming's son Arduro.

"So you're Snowgre's son eh?

Determined to save your mother by stopping my father.

Let's see if you get past me!" he yelled, lunging at Arctus but somebody jumped in front of him.

Arctus gasped.

It was Artie.

"I don't think so Arduro!" he yelled unsheathing his sword.

"What're you doing?" Arctus yelled.

"Saving you. You're too precious to me to get hurt or worse.

Go now before it's too late." he said as he broke Arduro's sword.

Arduro was about to lunge at him but was knocked out as Shrek showed up.

"Why is he here?" he asked.

"He wanted to hurt Arctus and he was nearly going to hurt him.

I was trying to defend him." Artie told him.

"It doesn't matter.

It's a good thing you did that Artie. I had a feeling somebody would be here looking for Arctus." he replied.

Artie saw anger in Arctus's eyes.

He then left and went inside. He lay awake in bed that night thinking. He knew leaving to save his mother alone wasn't a smart move but he wanted to be with his parents so he had to at least try.

"_Maybe they're right._

_Arduro nearly killed me if Artie hadn't helped me out. But what if my mother's hurt badly right now by Charming? That would hurt more than they'd ever know."_ he thought falling asleep.

Snowgre was having trouble sleeping. He could remember what Charming had done to him as well as Snowflake. Tears welled in his eyes as he went outside for fresh air.

He knew first hand Charming was psychotic but couldn't let Arctus try to fight him. He didn't want to lose his only son or imagine it.

Tears fell from his eyes looking at his bandaged hands.

"You okay?

Couldn't sleep huh?" he heard Shrek say as he joined him.

"Y-Yeah I couldn't.

I'm.... too worried about Snowflake to sleep along with worrying about Arctus.

I know how much he wants to see his mother but what if?

No that wouldn't happen!

I won't let it even if I have to risk my own life to save my family from that vain freak!" he told him as pain throbbed through his stomach, making him sink to his knees.

"_Is this the same Snowgre I knew and took in as a teen?_

_He seems more confident than then, caring about others who are precious to him. He's changed for the better. But he's still healing from whatever Charming did to him._

_We'll save Snowflake and stop Charming._

_He doesn't see the damage he causes to people like us._

_That I promise."_ Shrek thought as he laid his cousin on soft grass.

"T-Thanks.

I'm sorry if it felt like I turned my back on the family but I haven't. Maybe I should retire from rocking so I can be with those who matter to me." Snowgre whispered falling asleep.

"You haven't, I know." Shrek thought leaving him......


End file.
